The Dog Lover’s Companion to the San Francisco Bay Area has the inside scoop on the best dog runs, parks, beaches, hiking trails, camping areas, pet-friendly businesses, and much more. Local author Maria Goodavage and her trusty companion Jake have dug up many surprising resources available to dogs in the Bay Area, such as baseball games, cable-car adventures, and ferry trips. For the less outdoorsy dog, there are bookstores, cafés, and even winery visits! Packed with helpful maps, up-to-date leash laws, and a useful "paw" ranking system for all locations in the book, The Dog Lover’s Companion to the San Francisco Bay Area is a pet’s best friend.

Maria Goodavage and Jake the Yellow-Lab-Sort-of-Dog have traveled throughout the San Francisco Bay Area to check out some of the most dog-friendly parks, beaches, lodgings, and restaurants in the world. As part of their research, they've ridden on ferries, horse-drawn carriages, cable cars, and steam trains. They've visited drive-in movies, kitschy tourist attractions, and dog-friendly wineries. They've eaten at restaurants where dogs are treated almost like people (except they never get the bill). They've stayed at the best hotels, the worst motels, and everything in between. Jake's favorite saying: "You're not really gonna leave the house without me, are ya?" (This is usually accompanied by all his extra folds of neck skin drooping forward into his face, his floppy ears hanging especially low, his tail sagging dejectedly, and his big brown eyes looking remarkably tearful.)

Since Jake is a dog without a driver's license (his furry feet don't reach the pedals), he relies on Maria, former longtime USA Today correspondent, to be his chauffeur. Maria is well qualified. She started chauffeuring dogs in 1989, when her intrepid Airedale, Joe, joined her during some of her travels for the newspaper. Joe and Maria sniffed out enough dog-friendly places that they came out with their first book, The Dog Lover's Companion to the Bay Area, shortly thereafter. The Dog Lover's Companion to California was born next. (Each book is now in its fifth edition!)

After 13 years of traveling with Maria, Joe recently left for Dog Heaven, where all the cats are slow and no one tells you not to eat horse manure. Jake says he's proud to be following in Joe's pawsteps.

Jake lives near the beach in San Francisco with Maria, her husband, and their daughter.To get more information or offer a suggestion about dog-friendly travel in California, visit Maria’s website, www.caldogtravel.com.